The seven-player draft class of the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t have quite a lot of flash, however had fairly a little bit of dimension and physicality that the franchise added to the roster.
That was the aim all alongside, particularly after the Steelers had been gashed for 299 yards on the bottom within the Wild Card Spherical loss to the Baltimore Ravens, capping off a string of 5 straight losses that ended a once-promising season in ugly trend.
However inside that blend of including physicality and toughness, significantly on the protection, the Steelers landed a quarterback in Ohio State’s Will Howard, addressing a key place of want for the Steelers. Although the number of a quarterback got here a lot later than anticipated for the Steelers, touchdown Howard within the sixth spherical at No. 185 total, the transfer has been lauded for the reason that conclusion of the draft.
The Ringer’s Todd McShay praised Howard and the slot in Pittsburgh, whereas others are fairly excessive on the match for Howard and what the longer term might maintain in Pittsburgh.
NFL Community analyst Gennaro Filice was the most recent to reward the number of Howard for the Steelers. In a chunk for NFL.com grading all the draft courses, Filice gave the Steelers a B- and known as Howard his sleeper of the category.
“Like I stated above, all of us stay on Aaron Rodgers watch, assuming he’ll ultimately be a part of this roster. However Howard was mentioned as an choice for Pittsburgh all through the pre-draft course of, so it wasn’t shocking to see Omar Khan pounce when the quarterback remained accessible within the sixth spherical,” Filice writes relating to Howard’s choice by the Steelers. “A bodily imposing man at 6-4, 236 kilos, Howard seems to be like a Steeler signal-caller.
“His precise play over 4 years at Kansas State and one season at Ohio State was uneven, however he actually completed on a excessive word, posting glowing numbers through the Buckeyes’ four-game playoff run to a nationwide title.”
The Steelers are nonetheless ready on a call from 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and will Rodgers determine to signal he’ll step in because the beginning quarterback, with Mason Rudolph sliding into the No. 2 position and presumably Howard because the No. 3 and the developmental piece.
Ideally, that’s the best-case state of affairs for Howard in 2025 with the Steelers, particularly touchdown in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme, which inserts Howard’s strengths effectively.
Not solely is it a superb match scheme clever, however play-style and construct clever, it’s a great place for Howard to land in. He’s that large, sturdy, bodily quarterback that matches what the Steelers sometimes are inclined to search for. He confirmed that dimension, energy and confidence throughout his collegiate profession.
Howard brings quite a lot of expertise to the desk, having began 44 video games in his collegiate profession, together with 28 at Kansas State and all 16 final season at Ohio State whereas main the Buckeyes to the nationwide championship. He displayed the flexibility to select up a brand new offense shortly, too, doing so with Chip Kelly’s scheme at Ohio State, turning it on within the playoffs, too, and enjoying at a excessive degree.
Now, he’s off to Pittsburgh, the place he’s hoping to go from good scheme and tradition match, to a superb beginning quarterback for the Black and Gold. He might be fairly the sleeper, one which develops into that beginning quarterback for the Steelers.
If he does, what a decide it would actually change into.
